Philippines seen as alternative educational destination

by ES Subong

Iloilo City — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is set to position the Philippines as an alternative educational destination for neighboring countries which have overflow of students.

CHED Chair Lito Puno said this positioning is in the commission’s blueprint on “educational tourism” where the country can be an alternative educational destination to China and Russia where Korean students normally go.

He also said that this strategy also complements the government’s tourism program.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said President Arroyo had expressed support for this initiative. He added that Manila is an “attractive alternative” destination for Korean students because of the short distance between Seoul and manila, the affordability of Philippine education and the Filipino’s fluency in English.

Bunye said there is an estimated 100,000 South Korean students enrolled in various private and state-run colleges and universities in the country.

He also expects Chinese and Indian students to arrive soon, as the Philippine Government and the China’s Ministry of Education have signed recently a Memorandum of Agreement, allowing Chinese students who could not be accommodated in China’s universities to study in the country.

Meanwhile, CHED 6 Education program specialist Dr. Rex Casiple said about 24 percent of the 134 higher education institutions in Western Visayas have been accredited to accept and enroll foreign students. (PIA 6)